Goal is on-time budget

Conflicts remain about casino siting, higher minimum wage

By Jimmy Vielkind

Updated 6:50 am, Thursday, February 28, 2013

Albany, N.Y. Video courtesy of nysnys.com

Media: Times Union

ALBANY — After a closed-door meeting, top state lawmakers were confident a budget would pass on time, although disagreements remain over the minimum wage and other items Gov. Andrew Cuomo submitted in his draft spending plan.

There are whispers in the Capitol that language in the budget plan increasing the minimum wage and describing the process of casino siting might be too controversial to be settled in time for the March 31 budget deadline.

Lawmakers on Wednesday would not say if either plan had been dropped, but said they could be just as easily considered outside the $136.5 billion spending plan.

"We're working towards an on-time budget," Cuomo said, speaking to journalists after celebrating several forest rangers who had joined a plane crash rescue. "There are a number of issues on the table that are challenging, that are controversial."

He said of the minimum wage boost and casino expansion that "we could certainly do in the budget or later in the session."

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos of Long Island, whose party dominates the coalition running the chamber, said there was a "commitment" among legislative leaders to have an on-time budget. Skelos has resisted Cuomo's budget proposal to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75 an hour. But he has signaled he could allow an increase if the cost to businesses is softened, perhaps with tax credits.

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Community activists, union members and faith leaders walk to the Capitol to demand legislative reform, including raising the minimum wage, on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union) less

Community activists, union members and faith leaders walk to the Capitol to demand legislative reform, including raising the minimum wage, on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times ... more

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Albany County Legislator Doug Bullock, center, leads activists in a chant as they demand legislative reform, including raising the minimum wage, on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union) less

Sen. Dean Skelos talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Sen. Dean Skelos talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Sen. Jeff Klein, center, talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Sen. Jeff Klein, center, talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Speaker of the House Sheldon Silver, right, talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Speaker of the House Sheldon Silver, right, talks to the media about raising the minimum wage on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

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Goal is on-time budget

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"We still haven't made a decision as to whether expanding the minimum wage is going to be counterproductive to job creation," Skelos said.

Skelos also opposes renewal of a utility surcharge.

Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein, leader of the Skelos-allied Independent Democratic Conference, said he wants the minimum wage increased in the budget, adding that nothing has been formally dropped from the spending plan.

Klein noted there was still disagreement over how casinos might be permitted. "We have to see who has a say in the siting," he said.

Cuomo would grant authority to site three casinos in upstate areas to a commission that he controlled. Legislative leaders want more input, and consideration of downstate sites.

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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, is pushing for a $9 minimum wage indexed to inflation — a proposal like one made by President Barack Obama. Silver said he was amenable to taking it out of the budget.

Also Wednesday, dozens of people rallied at the Capitol in favor of the minimum wage increase, and Senate Democrats held a news conference to show unanimous support for Silver's proposal.

Silver also estimated the state would book $400 million more in revenue that Cuomo has budgeted, and said the money should restore a $260 million cut to New York City schools (imposed in January when city and union officials failed to reach agreement on a teacher evaluation system) and cuts to care for the developmentally disabled. Legislators will release their budget proposals next week.